September 11, 2015

Mimi Whitefield, The Miami Herald

The United States and Cuba will hold the first session of their new bilateral commission on normalization issues in Havana on Friday, the U.S. State Department said.

U.S. Secretary John Kerry and Cuba Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez announced creation of the commission following a meeting on Aug. 14 — the day the U.S. flag was raised outside the U.S. Embassy in Havana for the first time in 54 years. It’s expected to serve as a steering committee in the rapprochement process and hold regularly scheduled meetings.

The United States plans to send a small delegation headed by Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary Alex Lee. The U.S. delegation also will include David McKean, director of the secretary’s policy planning staff. Charge d’affaires Jeffrey DeLaurentis will head the team from the U.S. Embassy in Havana...